Cigar lighter



Feb. 9, 1943. H, G, LEHMANN 2,310,701

CIGAR LIGHTER madam. 12. 1959 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIG-AR LIGHTER Application January 12, 1939, serial No. 250,471

(ci. 21o-s2) 12 Claims.

The presentninvention relatesl to a cigar lighter, and moreparticulaly to the type in which a cigar or cigarette is deposited to Y.be automatically lit through 4engagement n with theV heating element carried by the Ksupporting means. D Y Y In prior devices of this type, as exemplied by the patent to Copeland. No. 1,844,206, issued February 9,V 1932, the cigarette is merely disposed in a receptacle having a heating element thereinV adapted to be energized andV create a draft by the rising heated air to ignite a cigarette or cigar disposed in the receptacle. ThisV hadV an advantage over the'type in which the igniting unit had to be energized and then removed from the dash into engagement with the cigarette held in the mouth of the user for the purpose of igniting the saine inasmuch as'it does not require the attention of the user, and, therefore, does not distract his attention Yfrom driving.

In prior devices, the receptacle for receiving' and supporting the cigarette or cigar to be lit has been provided with an open end projecting through the support so as to always be accessible for the insertion of a cigar or cigarette. This construction had disadvantages inasmuch as for? eign objects could easily be accidentally droppedA into the open end of the receptacle and cause damage to the device.

A further disadvantage in the prior device of this type arose from the fact that the circuit had to be closed to the heating element, and an interval of ve or six' seconds must be elapsed before the heating element is incandescent and ready' for use, and then an additional period is required to ignite the cigarette deposited in the receptacle and in engagement with the heating element.

An object of the present invention is toprovide a cigarlighter in which thev receptacle is normally disposed in a position in which the cigarreceiv` ing opening is'no'rinally inaccessible to have foreign objects accidentally placed therein but is movable to exposethe opening when it is desiredv to insert a cigarette.

A 'further object of the invention is to provide .a cigar lighter 'in which the heating element is quickly brought tothe heat necessary to ignite a cigar or cigarette upon the'receptacle'being moved into cigarette-receiving position.

Accordingl t-o the present invention, the receptacle for receiving theY cigarette is pivotally or otherwise movablymounted on a supporting platev which may be attached over an opening in the dashboard of an automobile Vor other support, and is so'constru'cted that the `weight of the unit n'ormally holds the receptacle in a position behind the support so that the cigarette-receiving opening is disposed behind the supporting m82315- When the receptacle is moved to expose the opening to receive a cigar or cigarette, it will be held by means of a latch in this position.

The receptacle, according to the present invention, is substantially tubular provided at its Y Aupper end with a cigarette-receiving opening, 10-

the receptacle is moved into position to receive the cigar or cigarette, the heating element carried thereby is instantaneously brought to incandescence and is' ready to ignite a cigar or cigarette by the tiine the latter is placed in the receptacle. This is accomplished by including in the energizing circuit of the heating element a switch which is closed upon movement of the receptacle to eX- posed position and by further including in the circuit a heat-responsive snap switch which will quickly control the circuit.

In the preferred form of the invention, the latch' for holding the receptacle in the exposed position forms the switch for closing the circuit to the heating element. The circuit is so designed that an initially high current is applied to the heating element; The heat-responsive snap switch vin circuit' with the heating element is heated by the current passing to the heating element at the same rate as the heating element, so, upon the heating element attaining the desired heat, the heat-responsive snap switch will operate and open the contacts of the switch immediately.

By heating the snap-acting switch by the current passing to the heating element and at the rat'eat which the heating element becomes incandescent and not relying upon the heat transferred from the heating element, the heating element of the present invention can be quickly brought to the desired heat and immediately upon reaching that heat will have its circuit controlled so as to reduce the current in the circuit to that necessary to maintain the heating element in incandescent condition, as, forexample, by inserting into the circuit suinoient vresistance to substantially reduce the current in the circuit. y n

This novel control prevents the heating element from being burnt out due to poor heat transfer from the heating element to the heatresponsive switch, which might cause sufficient delay in the operation of the switch to enable the heating element to burn out for the switch operator.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specication and claims when considered in connection with the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line I-I of Fig. 4, with the receptacle in inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the receptacle in operative position.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the heat-responsive snap-acting switch in open-circuit position.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

According to the present invention, a supporting member or plate ID is adapted to be located over an opening I I in a dashboard or other support I2 and be secured thereto by bolts I3 passing therethrough and locked in place by nuts I4.

The supporting plate has an opening I5 therein in which is mounted a receptacle I6 for movement from a position in back of the supporting plate, as shown in Fig, lJ to an exposed position, as shown in Fig. 2.

While the receptacle may be mounted for movement in any desired manner, in the preferred form of the invention it is secured vto a hinge plate I1 pivotally mounted at I8 to the supporting plate. A suitable handle or knob i9 can be provided whereby the receptacle can be moved about the pivot into the position shown in Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawing, the receptacle is substantially tubular and has its upper end open to provide a cigarette-receiving aperture or opening when the receptacle is moved about its 'pivot to expose the opening in iront of the supporting means. The lower end of the tubular member has mounted therein a heating element formed by a looped resistance wire 20 having one end connected at 2l to the wall of the receptacle and to ground through the support, and the other end connected to a post 22 passing through the opposite wall of the receptacle and insulated therefrom.

The heating element 20 rests on and is supported by a block of insulating material 23, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The block is so arranged that a plurality of openings 24 are formed about the sides whereby a draft is created in the receptacle when the heating element is energized and the hot air rises, drawing the cool air inthe openings in the bottom of the receptacle.

According to the present invention the receptacle is so disposed that its center of gravity is located at all times behind the pivot I8 and normally urges it into the position shown in Fig. 1 in which the cigarette-receiving opening is located behind the support and is not readily accessible.

In order to hold the receptacle in exposed position against the urging means when it is desired to use the device, a latch 26, having a pair of resilient :lingers 26a, is mounted on the supporting plate to engage and grip a stud 21 mounted on the rear wall ofthe receptacle when it is moved into its exposed position.

` Preferably, the heating element is connected into an energizing circuit when thereceptacle is moved to exposed positionl This is accomplished by utilizing the latch and stud as switch members to complete the circuit upon movement of the receptacle into its outermost position.

As shown in the drawing, the latch has an extension 2Gb which is secured to the upper bolt I3 and a connector lug 30 is secured to the bolt and has a conductor 3l secured thereto which leads to a battery or other source of energy. The stud 21 is insulatedly mounted in the receptacle and is connected through an automatically operated switch 32 to the stud 22 and the heating element.

Thus, when the receptacle is moved to its outermost position, and the iingers 26u, grip the stud 21, the circuit will be closed to energize the heating element.

In the preferred form of the invention, the heating element is formed of such resistance that when inserted in the usual battery circuit of an automobile or the like it will be brought almost immediately to the desired heat so that it will be ready to ignite a cigarette by the time the operator has had an opportunity to place the cigarette in the exposed receptacle.

When such a heating element is used, it is necessary to control the circuit to prevent the heating element from burning out. This is accomplished, according to the present invention, by means of the automatic switch 32 which comprises a contact 35 secured to a resilient arm 36 electrically connected to the stud 21. The contact cooperates with a contact 31 carried by a resilient arm 38 which is insulatedly mounted on the stud 21 by means of a bushing 39 of insulating material. Also mounted on the bushing and in electrical engagement with the end of the arm is a connector 4U. The other end of the connector is secured to an insulated post 4I mounted on the receptacle. The post 4I has mounted thereon, in electrical engagement with the connector, one end of a heat-responsive operator 42 for the switch. The other end of the heat-responsive operator is connected to another insulated post 43 which also has mounted thereon in electrical engagement with the operatorl a connector 44 which extends to the Vstud 22 to complete the circuit to the heating element.

The heat-responsive operator, in the preferred form of the invention, comprises a strip 45 of bimetallic material having a bowed portion 46 which is normally flexed, when cold, into the position shown in Fig. 2, and which, when heated, quickly snaps into the position shown in Fig. 3. The heat-responsive member is of suon a design that current passing therethrough heats the bimetallic member at the same rate at which the heating element is brought to heat so that upon the heating element attaining a predetermined heat, the heat-responsive member will flex into the position shown in Fig. 3 and engage an insulated stud 41 carried by the arm 38 to open the circuit between the contacts 35, 31.

As shown in Fig. 4, a resistance 50 is mounted on the back of the receptacle and has the ,ends

thereof connected to the stud 21 and to the arm 38. This resistance is shunted out of circuit by the normally closed contacts 35, 31. However, upon the opening of the contacts by the heatresponsive member, the resistance is automatically inserted in series with the heating element and reduces the current'so that it will maintain the heating element at the desired temperature without burning out. The heating element will remain ,at this desired temperature as long as the receptacle is in exposed position.

With this construction, it will be clearv that as soon as the operator moves the receptacle into exposed position, the circuit to the heating element will be closed through the engagement of the latch with the shouldered stud, and the heating element will be quickly brought up to heat.

This operation will, because of the circuit employed and the value of the resistance, be practically instantaneous so that by the time the operator has had an opportunity to place the cigarette into the holding device, the heating element will be ready to ignite the same. This eliminates the principal objectionable feature of the prior art inasmuch as it is not necessary to wait until the heating element has attained the heat before the cigarette will become ignited.

By heating the controller for the circuit at the same rate as the heating of the heating element, an accurate control can be obtained which will enable the heating element to be brought to heat quickly and still prevent the element from burning out before a circuit change can be effected, as was the case in prior constructions where predetermined heat transerfrom a heating element was required. I

When the operator has iinished using the lighter of the present invention, he merely moves the receptacle back into the dashboard, which movement automatically opens the circuit to the heating element.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope oi this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

l. In a cigar lighter, a support; a compartment mounted on the support for movement to a position wherein a cigar or cigarette can be readily inserted into the compartment; a heating element mounted in said compartment and against which the end of a cigar or cigarette rests when inserted therein; means for closing an energizing circuit to the heating element upon movement of the compartment into said cigarette-receiving position; an automatic means for maintaining the heating element at the desired usable heat as long as the compartment remains in cigarette-receiving position.

2. In a cigar lighter, a support; a compartment having a cigar or cigarette-receiving opening therein; a heating element in said compartment; means for mounting the compartment on the support for movement from a normal position into a position in which the opening therein is exposed to receive a cigar or cigarette, said compartment constituting a guide means whereby the cigar or cigarette inserted into the opening is guided intov contact with the heating element; means responsive to movement of the compartment into cigarette-receiving position for energizing the heating element to ignite a cigar or cigarette inserted into the compartment through the exposed open end; and automatic means for controlling the energization of the heating element to maintain the latter at a predetermined temperature as long as the compartment remains in cigarette-receiving position.

3. In a cigar lighter, a support; a compartment mounted on the support for movement thereon to expose an opening in said compartment for the insertion of a cigarette or the like; a heating element, mounted in said compartment, against which the end of a cigarette rests when inserted into the compartment; means responsive to the movement of the compartment into cigarette-receiving position for closing an energizing circuit to the heating element; and automatic means including heat-responsive means in said circuit for maintaining the heating element at a predetermined temperature as long as the compartment is in cigarette-receiving position.

4. In a cigar lighter, a support; a compartment having a heating element therein, said compartment being mounted on the support for movement to a position wherein a cigar or cigarette can be readily inserted into the compartment and supported in engagement with the heating element; means responsive to the movement of said compartment into cigarette-receiving position for closing an energizing circuit t0 the heating element to quickly bring the heating element to the desired heat; and heat-responsive means heated by the energizing current at the same rate as the heating element for automatically controlling said circuit to maintain the heating element at a predetermined temperature and to prevent the heating element from burning out as long as the compartment remains in cigarettereceiving position.

5. In a cigar lighter, a support; a compartment having a heating element therein mounted on the support for movement to a position Wherein a cigar or cigarette can be readily inserted into the compartment and supported in engagement with the heating element; means responsive to movement of the support to cigarettereceiving position for closing an energizing circuit to quickly bring the heating element to the desired heat; and snap-acting thermostatic means heated by the energizing current at the same rate as the heating element for automatically controlling the circuit to maintain the heating element at a predetermined temperature as long as the compartment remains in cigarettereceiving position.

6. In a cigar lighter, a support; a substantially tubular compartment having a heating element at one end and a cigar or cigarette-receiving opening at the other end; means for mounting the compartment on the support for movement from a normal position into a position in which the cigar or cigarette-receiving opening is exposed; means for maintaining the compartment in the latter position when moved to that position; means responsive to movement of said compartment into cigarette-receiving position for closing an energizing circuit including the heating element, to heat the latter for igniting a rcigar or cigarette inserted into the compartment through the exposed opening; a pair of normally closed contacts included in said circuit; a resistance shunting said contacts; and heatresponsive means for opening said contacts and inserting said resistance into the circuit when said heating element attains a predetermined temperature, whereby the heating element is automatically maintained at said temperature as long as the compartment remains in cigarettereceiving position.

7. In a cigar lighter, a support; a compartment having a cigar or cigarette-receiving opening therein; a heating element mounted in said compartment and against which the end of a cigar or cigarette rests when inserted into said opening; means for mounting the compartment on the support for movement from a normal position into a position in which the opening therein is exposed for insertion of a cigar or cigarette; an electrical circuit for energizing the heating element, when the circuit is closed, to ignite a cigar or cigarette inserted into the compartment; means responsive to movement of the compartment into cigarette-'receiving position for closing said circuit; a heat-responsive switch having ay pair of normally closed contacts included in said circuit; and a resistance shunting said contacts, said energizing means being adapted to supply an initially high current to the heating element, and said heat-responsive switch being heated by the current at the same rate as the heating element and operative to open the contacts immediately upon the heating element attaining a predetermined temperature and to insert the resistance in series in the circuit to reduce the current therein, for yautomatically maintaining the heating element at said predetermined temperature as long as the compartment remains in cigarette-receiving position.

8. In a cigar lighter, a support; a compartment having a heating element and cigarettereceiving opening therein; means for mounting the compartment on the support for movement from a normal position into a position in which the cigar or cigarette-receiving opening is exposed; means for holding the compartment against casual movement when moved to the position in which the opening thereof is exposed; means operated by movement of the compartment into said position for energizing the heating element to ignite a cigar or cigarette inserted into the compartment through the exposed opening; and automatic means including heat-responsive means for regulating the current in the energizing circuit to maintain the heating element at a predetermined temperature as long as the compartment is held in the last-named position.

9. In a cigar lighter, a support; a substantially tubular compartment having a heating element at one end and a cigar or cigarette-receiving opening at the other end; means for mounting the compartment on the support for movement from a normal position into a position in which the opening is accessible to readily receive a cigar or cigarette; means for urging the compartment into normal position; means for holding the compartment against the urging means when moved to the position in which the opening thereof is exposed; means responsive to movement of the compartment to the latter position for energizing the heating element to ignite a cigar or cigarette inserted into the compartment through theA eX- posed opening; and automatic means including heat-responsive means for controlling the cir` cuit to maintain the heating element at a predetermined temperature as long as the compartment remains in cigarette-receiving position.

10. In a cigar lighter, a substantially vertical support; a substantially tubular compartment having a heating element at the lower end and a cigar or cigarette-receiving opening at the upper end; means for pivotally mounting the lower end of the compartment on the support with the center of gravity of the compartment located behind the support to normally urge the compartment into a normal position, said compartwww ment being movable about said pivot from said cigar or cigarette-receiving opening is exposed in front of said support; means for holding the compartment against movement when moved to the position to expose the opening therein; means responsive to movement of said compartment into cigarette-receiving position for energizing the heating element to ignite a cigar or cigarette inserted into the compartment through the eX- posed opening; and automatic means including heat-responsive means for controlling the current in said heating element to maintain the latter at a predetermined temperature as long as the compartment remains in cigarette-receiving position.

11. In a cigar lighter, a substantially vertical support; a substantially vertical tubular compartment having a heating element and suitable draft openings at its lower end and a cigar or cigarette-receiving opening at its upper end;

`means for movably mounting the compartment on the support, said compartment being movable from a normal position into a position in which the cigar or cigarette-receiving opening is exposed; means responsive to movement of the compartment into cigarette-receiving position for energizing the heating element when the compartment is in the latter position, the heated air rising in the compartment and causing a draft to aid in igniting a cigar or cigarette inserted into the compartment through the exposed opening into engagement with the heating element; and automatic means for controlling the energization of the heating element to maintain it at a predetermined temperature as long as the compartment remains in cigarette-receiving position.

12. In a cigar lighter, a substantially vertical support; a compartment having its lower end pivotally mounted on the support for movement from a normal position in back of the support to a position in front of Lsaid support, the front surface of said compartment lying substantially iiush with said support when the compartment is disposed in said normal position, said compartment having an opening at its upper end for the insertion of a cigarette or the like, said opening being accessible when the compartment is movedto a position in front of said support;

- a heating element mounted in the lower end of said compartment and against which the end of a cigarette rests when inserted through said opening; means responsive to movement of the compartment into cigarette-receiving position for closing an energizing circuit to the heating element; and automatic means for controlling said energizing circuit to maintain the heating element at a predetermined temperature as long as the compartment remains in cigarette-receiving position.

' HERBERT G. LEHMANN. 

